mites? update: lice

[Duckduckgoosie]

Just went to trim extra feathers around one hen’s vent that were clumped up w poop- and I see many light colored crawling bugs.

Small flock, six hens. What do I need to do?

There’s deep bedding in the roost area for warmth through winter. I do fresh sawdust on tbe poop shelf daily. Does that all need to go?

ugh

 

[nuthatched]

Permethrine poultry dust or spray, clean out the bedding and litter, apply and put all new stuff in. You can use the product directly on the birds as per the products directions.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Sorry for these gross pics-

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Treat everyone?

And, it’s my birthday today. Of course.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Others don’t seem as bad as hen pictured.

After removing, cleaning & treating, how to prevent in future?

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

I have 5 mature hens, 1 mature rooster, and 2 eight week old chicks.

Husband headed to Tractor Supply to get whatever we need.

 

[dawg53]

Those are lice. Lice eggs attached to feathers and feather shafts can be removed using coconut oil.
You can dust your birds using Permethrin dust. Wear a mask when dusting your birds. Repeat dusting them again in 10 days. The second dusting will kill nits hatched from lice eggs.

Clean out your coop thoroughly including nest boxes.

Here is an easy way to dust your coop:
Once you've thoroughly cleaned out the coop, securely close all the vents on the coop, leave the entrance open.

Put a pile of Permethrin dust at the entrance to the coop. Ensure there are no chickens inside the coop, wear chicken clothes and a mask.
Get your leaf blower and hit the pile of dust full blast with the leaf blower. It'll look like a smoke bomb went off inside the coop. Shut the entrance. The dust will get in every crack inside the coop and will kill all unseen lice.

Do this procedure in the morning because it will take about 4 or 5 hours for the dust to settle. Then you can open up the coop, vents included.

Deep bedding is a hotbed for parasites, especially worms. Keeping everything as dry as possible is best. Sand is the way to go. I use it in my pens, coops, and some of the nest boxes. Sand is easy to replace, easy to scoop poop, and keeps everything dry. It wont wash away in heavy rains, doesnt make nasty mudpuddles like mud...that birds love to drink from. It also dries quicker than mud, and deters bugs and parasites, like at a beach.

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Ugh, I really do not want to do sand. I’m a preschool teacher and already deal with sand everywhere at work & would really like to be able to use sawdust on the poop shelf & straw for warmth?

 

[Duckduckgoosie]

Are these lice species specific- will they infect us, or our baby goats?

 

[Isadora]

Are these lice species specific- will they infect us, or our baby goats?

They're poultry specific.